This is a friendly discussion among brothers and sisters who all love the Book of Mormon and believe it is actual history. We seek unity on how to interpret the text and Church history. This blog focuses on the North American setting as the simplest and best explanation of Book of Mormon geography, with Cumorah in New York, but we recognize other settings are meaningful for other people.

While it's ridiculous for the Temple Square Visitors Center to teach M2C (so much for the so-called neutrality policy), what's happening at the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center near Palmyra, New York, is even worse.

I've been here in Palmyra for the last few days. (We have a house here.) I stood on the hill Cumorah yesterday, in fact, watching the sunset. It was an awesome sight--the same one Mormon and Moroni had when they saw the Lamanites in the distance, preparing for the final battle that would extinguish the Nephite nation.

And yet, most of the visitors here have no idea of what happened.Visitors to Cumorah never learn what the prophets have taught.

At least, not in the Visitors Centers.

Grandin print shop M2C display

Even in the Grandin Print shop, where the first copies of the Book of Mormon were printed, visitors are taught M2C.

Look at this display. It shows Mormon abridging the records in Mesoamerica. The message of this artwork is specific and unmistakable: Mormon lived in Mesoamerica, Moroni had to haul the plates 3,400 miles all the way to New York State.

If you look closely, you'll see Mormon inside a Mayan temple or building, with Mayan war implements, Mayan animal skins, etc. The fact that this painting is on display this way in Palmyra is a direct repudiation of what Joseph and Oliver taught about the Hill Cumorah in New York.

Hill Cumorah Visitors Center

Then you go to the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center itself. The entire Visitors Center teaches M2C, with not a word about what the prophets have actually taught about Cumorah.

One wonders why the Correlation Department allows them to still call it the Hill Cumorah. After all, according to the M2C intellectuals, including the staff in the Correlation Department, Joseph Smith never called the hill "Cumorah." Instead, he passively adopted a false tradition started by someone else.

As if.

Look at this display in the rotunda. It features a statue of Christ, which is wonderful. On the side behind us, there is a painting of Christ in ancient Israel.

Christ asking for the Nephites' records

But look at the painting in front of us here.

This is not Christ visiting his "other sheep" somewhere in the world.

This is the infamous painting of Christ asking the Nephites for their records during his visit to them. It is fully, 100%, M2C.

This blatant display of M2C, according to the Correlation Department, reflects the so-called "neutrality" policy.

IOW, the Correlation Department is neutral about Book of Mormon geography so long as you
(i) display, teach and advocate M2C and
(ii) never mention what the prophets have actually taught about the New York Cumorah.
_____

This summer, visitors to Cumorah are going to have an opportunity to learn what the prophets have actually taught about the Hill Cumorah, starting with President Cowdery's Letter VII.

About Me

I like the way Daft Punk wear robot suits in public. I'd rather focus on the music than the personalities. Same with Internet discussions; I'd rather focus on the information and the logic of the arguments than the personalities. That said, people want to know I'm a real person, so here's a photo of me at the UN in New York.

Disclaimer

The author writes this blog in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other person or institution.